title: Langerhans cells in human allergic contact dermatitis contain varying numbers of Birbeck granules. Double staining immunohistochemistry with OKT6 and Lag antibody.
abstract: Dynamic changes in human Langerhans cells (LCs) were studied with OKT6, anti-HLA-DR antibody, and Lag antibody in allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Both T6-positive (T6+) cells and Lag-positive (Lag+) cells in the epidermis decreased in number from 0 to 48 h, but then gradually increased after day 7 of ACD. Lag+ cells after day 7 manifested a variety of staining intensities from weak to strong. It was also shown, after day 7, that some T6+ cells were Lag negative whereas all Lag+ cells were T6 positive. Flow cytometric analysis suggested that Lag-strongly-positive cells and Lag-weakly-positive cells belonged to the same population, and that the relative amount of Lag antigens in T6+ LCs gradually increased after day 7. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that the Lag-strongly-positive cells contained numerous Lag-reactive Birbeck granules (BGs) whereas the Lag-weakly-positive cells contained fewer BGs in the cytoplasm. In some Lag-weakly-positive cells, no BGs were detected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kashihara-Sawami
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Horiguchi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal